4th of July Patriotic (On-Field) Jerseys
Rocket City Trash Pandas | 2026
The Rocket City Trash Pandas are deeply connected to a community with strong military ties. In recognition of that relationship, (and to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday), the organization hosts an annual “Patriotic Night” around the Fourth of July. For this event, I was given the opportunity to design the on-field jerseys worn during the game.
The design is anchored by a classic red, white, and blue color palette, allowing patriotism to serve as the focal point. Star iconography plays a prominent role throughout the uniform and they appear on the American flag sleeve patch and across the shoulders. The six stars on the shoulders mark the Trash Pandas’ six seasons at the time of design, incorporating team history into the project.
Visual inspiration was drawn from past Team USA game-worn jerseys across both the NHL and NBA, particularly their balance of symbolism and simplicity. While embracing that influence, it was important to me to maintain authenticity to both the game of baseball and the Trash Pandas’ existing identity. Traditional pinstripes were incorporated into the base fabric, and the numerals mirror those used on standard RCTP home and away uniforms.
The final result is a uniform that balances tradition, symbolism, and brand consistency while paying tribute to the community and those who serve it.
In-Game Photography Credit: Justin Yarborough
Space (On-Field) Jerseys
Rocket City Trash Pandas | 2026
Minor League Baseball offers a unique level of creative freedom when it comes to on-field uniform design. For the annual “RCTP Space Night,” I was tasked with designing a space-themed jersey to be worn during the game. This was an opportunity to push the brand in a bold, conceptual direction while creating something truly unique within the MiLB landscape.
I aimed to design a jersey that felt futuristic, energetic, and slightly unorthodox, resulting in the decision to incorporate two-toned sleeves as a defining visual element. This approach, combined with asymmetry and high-contrast detailing, allowed the uniform to stand apart from other theme-night baseball jerseys.
All colors used in the design are official Rocket City Trash Pandas Pantone (PMS) values. When placed on a black base and juxtaposed strategically, these familiar brand colors take on a vibrant, “neon-like” quality. My goal was to manipulate the palette while maintaining brand integrity.
Given the one-off nature of the jersey and the level of creative autonomy afforded to the project, I designed a custom wordmark to serve as the team name across the chest. Paired with scattered star elements, this reinforces the space-forward narrative and enhances the overall sense of motion. The final jersey balances innovation with brand consistency, delivering a visually striking uniform that feels built for Space Night.
Football Jerseys
For the 2026 season, I was tasked by the Rocket City Trash Pandas marketing team with designing a football jersey to be distributed as a game day giveaway. The primary objective was to create a piece that felt instantly recognizable as a traditional football jersey while remaining cohesive with the Trash Pandas’ established brand identity.
Drawing from a lifelong familiarity with both collegiate and professional football uniforms, I approached the design with a focus on classic proportions and a clean-cut appearance. Rather than pursuing experimental treatments, I prioritized clarity and familiarity. This allowed the jersey to stand apart from the more experimental and personalized opportunities typically explored in MiLB uniform design.
Although the jersey represents a different sport, the design incorporates the Trash Pandas’ core color palette and visual assets. Exploration of color placement across the base, sleeves, numerals, and accent elements led to a final palette that feels bold, professional, and unmistakably on-brand.
Throughout the process, a guiding question shaped every decision: How would the Trash Pandas brand themselves if they were a football team? The resulting jersey answers that question with a timeless, brand-forward design that resonates with fans across generations.
Rocket City Trash Pandas | 2026
Rocket City Trash Pandas | 2026
Grateful Dead Jerseys
Soccer Jerseys
A staple of the fan experience at live sporting events is promotional giveaways, and the Rocket City Trash Pandas are no exception. Throughout the season, the organization distributes a wide range of branded merchandise from apparel and headwear to novelty items, often in partnership with corporate sponsors whose logos are integrated into the final designs.
For this project, the marketing team tasked me with designing a soccer-inspired jersey that incorporated red, white, and blue hues, with stripes featured as a key visual element. I selected a Trash Pandas logo variation that best aligned with traditional soccer kit aesthetics, allowing the graphic treatment to dominate the fabric while positioning the team mark left aligned on the chest.
A highly saturated cyan was chosen as the primary base color, creating strong contrast and providing a dynamic foundation for the supporting palette of black, white, and a less intense red. This approach balanced visual impact with clarity and legibility across the jersey. To complete the design, I placed the sponsor logo, Huntsville Compounding Pharmacy, on the right sleeve.
Rocket City Trash Pandas | 2026
Complementing the 2026 team-worn Patriotic Night jersey, I designed a youth version for fans aged 12 and under, distributed as a giveaway. While this project was separate from the official game-day uniform, maintaining visual cohesion was a key priority. I carried over the same Pantone color palette to ensure consistency while tailoring the design for a younger audience.
The aesthetic emphasizes simplicity and clarity. A deep, low-saturated blue serves as the base, allowing small but intentional areas of visual interests such as the numerals, custom team logo, and subtle sleeve trim.
Nucor, the sponsor logo, was incorporated on the back of the jersey to maintain the jersey’s tidy presentation, ensuring the overall design remains cohesive. The final result is a youth-friendly jersey that aligns with the official Patriotic Night uniform.
Rocket City Trash Pandas | 2026
Youth Patriotic Jerseys
Kids Club Jersey
Rocket City Trash Pandas | 2026
Sprocket’s Kids Club is a youth-focused initiative led by the Rocket City Trash Pandas’ Community Relations Department, offering young fans exclusive access to select home games, the Kids Zone at Toyota Field, and a custom jersey designed specifically for fans under the age of 12. I was tasked with designing the Kids Club jersey, with an emphasis on visibility, inclusivity, and youthful energy.
To ensure the jersey appealed equally to both boys and girls, I selected a vibrant blue base and layered in purple, pink, and green accents sparingly to create balance and contrast. The visual direction draws inspiration from 1990s pop culture, particularly the aesthetic of popular television show and movie, “Rugrats.”
Design techniques commonly associated with that era, such as exaggerated drop shadows, abstract shapes, and high-saturation color combinations, were intentionally employed to create a sense of fun. These elements not only enhance the playful tone but also ensure the jersey is highly visible in a crowded ballpark environment when the kids are roaming around.
To reinforce the space narrative in a kid-friendly way, I illustrated simplified, stylized versions of familiar planets from our solar system and paired them with star-like iconography to unify everything. The final result is a lively, approachable jersey that captures attention, sparks imagination, and strengthens young fans’ connection to the Trash Pandas brand.
